


Chase the Sleep Away

by mormorando (shine)



Category: Dong Bang Shin Ki
Genre: M/M
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2010-02-11
Updated: 2010-02-11
Packaged: 2017-10-28 06:11:07
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,016
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/304601
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/shine/pseuds/mormorando
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Junsu overworks himself again.</p>
            </blockquote>





	Chase the Sleep Away

The text comes to Jaejoong's phone just before two a.m. telling him that Junsu's staying overnight at the hospital for the third time in two weeks. Jaejoong is bleary and rubs his face as he squints at the too-bright screen of his mobile. He hasn't been sleeping well lately, and right now he's exhausted and just wants to close his eyes and be dead to the world for the next 24 hours.

Instead he gets up and finds the closest pair of jeans.

 

The only nice thing about everyone knowing your face is that in the middle of the night, Jaejoong can walk into a hospital and not be told that visiting hours are long over or that he's not a family member. The nursery is on the way to the wing where Junsu's room is and he pauses to wave at the nurse in there, then at the yawning little baby girl she has in her arms, wishing someone would offer their shoulder to him as a pillow right then.

There's a little bit of light seeping through under Junsu's door, meaning Junsu's mother had been the last one there. Jaejoong remembers when she used to stay all night when Junsu would push himself too hard. It's a little sad that she doesn't do that anymore because it happens so often and she has a life that she can't ignore. She always brings the nightlight that used to be in Junsu and Junho's room though, to take her place. Even though it's old, the original lightbulb still works, but just barely, giving Jaejoong only enough light to not run into the wall. Yoochun has always been able to sleep anywhere, but Junsu was the one that insisted on getting heavy curtains for all their windows, enough to block out the sun on the hottest days and Jaejoong has stubbed his toe almost every time he had to navigate Junsu's pitch-black room for one reason or another.

Jaejoong can see Junsu's chest rise and fall under the thin hospital blankets before he even gets close, the slow, deep breaths making him feel better, knowing Junsu's getting some real rest. He also knows that in another two days, this is going to happen again, but for now it's comforting. The chair next to the bed was probably where Junsu's mother was sitting, but he feels like it was left there for him. Maybe she doesn't stay with Junsu all night anymore, but that doesn't mean Junsu is ever left by himself. When he sits down, the chair squeaks for a second, but Junsu doesn't even stir so Jaejoong drags it closer, the chair's metal feet scraping lightly against the floor.

Leaning close, Jaejoong rests his arm on the bed while he reaches up and smooths Junsu's growing bedhead away. He smiles when Junsu's brows scrunch up the tiniest bit and Junsu's turns his face towards Jaejoong. If he could, he would stay awake for longer, but his body is already slouching when he takes Junsu's hand, the hospital bed too soft to resist. The last thing he feels before falling asleep is Junsu's thumb curling around his.

 

It's light out again when Jaejoong stirs, his neck, back, and shoulders so stiff that he doesn't even want to think about moving. But the bed is empty when his contacts start working again and he faces the sharp soreness as he sits up straight, looking for Junsu and wincing when he glances past the window, the curtains drawn just enough to let the sun in. It's then he hears the sound of a running faucet and he rubs his eyes to get the last of the blurriness out before standing up to go investigate.

Junsu's patting his face dry when Jaejoong gets to the bathroom and he smiles at Jaejoong through the mirror. Jaejoong pads up to him and wraps his arms around Junsu's waist, immediately pressing his face to the side of Junsu's neck, his nose catching a rivulet of water the towel missed. He feels Junsu's fingers slip into his hair a second later and massage his scalp, and he tries not to put too much weight on Junsu's back as he melts at the touch. "You need to stop overworking yourself," he mumbles, his voice low and scratchy.

"Good morning to you too."

Jaejoong forces himself awake a little more and lifts his head to prop his chin on Junsu's shoulder. "I'm serious," he says. "It's not cool to live at the hospital."

Junsu kisses his cheek, his hand having drifted down to Jaejoong's nape, a spot of particular weakness and Junsu knows it. "I'm sorry for worrying you. But you know I can't help it."

"I do." Jaejoong's eyelids start to droop and he breathes in deeply through his nose, fighting the fatigue off. "And the only reason when I'm letting it slide is because I've done it just as much."

"It'll be over soon," Junsu says, turning around carefully in Jaejoong's hold. The hair around his face is still damp and Jaejoong smooths out one clump by Junsu's temple. "Then I will sleep as much as you want me to."

Jaejoong laughs quietly and presses his lips to Junsu's dryly. "When do you ever listen to me?"

Junsu smiles back like he's been caught mid-scheme, but still trying to play innocent. "Always, hyung," he says, and takes Jaejoong's hand. "Come on, I have rehearsal in two hours. I'll buy you breakfast?"

"Only if I get to bring you lunch later," Jaejoong says, following Junsu into the hallway. The same people he saw when he came in just a few hours ago are still on shift, and they smile easily when he and Junsu walk by, like tiredness was just something everyone else suffered from. "Tell me what you want."

Junsu slings his arm around Jaejoong's shoulders and leans in close like he's telling some big secret. "Just show up and keep me company."

As they exit the building, the last vestiges of sleep leave Jaejoong and he thinks, yeah, he can do that.


End file.
